Haiti Volunteer Trip – by Bill Erickson and Phil Willems, Waunakee, Wisconsin Rotarians -

Early in 2006, Rotarians from the Waunakee Rotary Club, District 6250, donated toward the drilling of a well to provide safe water for a village in Haiti.

On November 27th Bill and Phil flew out of Madison, met eight others in Miami and proceeded onto Port au Prince Haiti. The final group of 13 was made up of ten Rotarians and three Haiti Outreach people. We spent the night in Port au Prince and although the airport and streets in Port au Prince were crowded, we felt safe at all times. We flew to Pignon in the Central Plateau the next day.

We were housed in a complex that was originally run by a mission group, but now is run for profit by a local group. All of the buildings have seen better days. Meals were furnished and prepared by local women. If you like goat, you would be thrilled with the cuisine. There was no power the last five days and the water had little or no pressure most mornings. The beds were cots, but we always slept well.

The first three days we worked along side local laborers and volunteers to build the house. The home was 18’ x 25’ with stone walls and a tin roof. The stone was gathered from the nearby hills and the mortar, which was mixed with water carried in by local women, was dug from a pit on the property. The fourth day, we traveled over the roughest road we had ever encountered to two villages that were dedicating recently completed wells. The wells will be administered and maintained by locals who will provide security, maintenance and collect a small monthly charge. This local involvement is essential for the ongoing success of the well.

Monday, we went back to the home site where we dug mortar, mixed it and “pailed” it to the workmen. The group is getting good at “bucket brigades”. Later that afternoon we returned to the home site where the family receiving the home thanked all the volunteers. Prayers were offered, songs sung and lots of hugs were exchanged. The house was almost done.

“It was a worthwhile trip, with a great crew. We’d do it again in a minute!!” (Phil and Bill December 2006)


Contact Info:
Bill Erickson
Bill Erickson